Editor’s Note: This information is taken from open court records and is a matter of public record. The listings are complete. The newspaper, as a matter of fairness, will not honor requests to omit any listing.
For information on this column or questions, call 236-5178, ext. 213.

District Court

These sentences were recorded in November of 2012 in the Grayson County General District Court Office, Independence. Sentences may be appealed:

By SHAINA STOCKTON, Staff
City officials, school faculty, staff and students gathered in the auditorium of Galax Elementary School on March 8 to celebrate the school’s Cooperative Center for Exceptional Children’s victory in the UCT Gives Back Contest.
Several representatives of United Commercial Travelers, including CEO Joe Hoffman, arrived at the school to present the class with its $10,000 prize.
The school won the national contest, in which supporters voted for the class’ entry online.

HILLSVILLE — Mohawk has chosen a natural gas marketer as construction will soon draw to a close on the service line, the Carroll Industrial Development Authority learned at its March 4 meeting.
Dennis Cole has been heading up Carroll County’s effort to connect the manufacturing plant to the Patriot pipeline as a job retention project.
He reported the nearly 1,000-foot gas line bore under Main Street has wrapped up. That leaves installation under Cherry Street in order to reach BMI/Sprague Electric and taking the line down West Grayson Street.

WOODLAWN — A two-vehicle accident on Drew Ridge Road lead to serious injuries for one of the drivers on March 8, according to a Virginia State Police report.
The accident occurred at about 7:45 a.m., about two-tenths of a mile south of U.S. 58, when Richard Kilby Hall, 55, of Woodlawn drifted into the opposite lane, according to Trooper K.D. Blackburn.
The 1994 Ford F150 struck a 2004 Toyota Celica, driven by Samantha Leath of Woodlawn.
Leath was transported to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries, according to the report.

The Matthews Living History Farm Museum will host a Civil War Living History weekend on March 16 and 17.
“The event will demonstrate life in a Civil War encampment, including period costumes and living quarters, weapons, demonstrations, music and cooking,” according to a news release for the event.

Driving along with a police car behind you can definitely be a stressful experience. Whether you’ve committed an infraction or not, just seeing that intimidating vehicle is enough to make even the most seasoned driver get a little antsy. Suddenly, doubt creeps in.
Was I speeding? Did I forget to signal? Do I have a tail light out?
Then, as soon as they appear, they are gone. Whew, no ticket.
Recently, The Gazette has received calls to The Hotline from readers expressing their irritation at being constantly watched and followed by the police.

Prison mix-up
I was reading in the paper today about the new state prison in Grayson County, how you could shop there, you could eat there, you could rent a room there. I thought prisoners were supposed to pay for their crime. Looks to me like they are getting the easy street.